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森崎書店の日々(Days at the Morisaki Bookshop) #1
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
The moving international sensation about new beginnings, human connection, and the joy of reading.
Hidden in Jimbocho, Tokyo, is a booklover's paradise. On a quiet corner in an old wooden building lies a shop filled with hundreds of second-hand books.
Twenty-five-year-old Takako has never liked reading, although the Morisaki bookshop has been in her family for three generations. It is the pride and joy of her uncle Satoru, who has devoted his life to the bookshop since his wife Momoko left him five years earlier.
When Takako's boyfriend reveals he's marrying someone else, she reluctantly accepts her eccentric uncle's offer to live rent-free in the tiny room above the shop. Hoping to nurse her broken heart in peace, Takako is surprised to encounter new worlds within the stacks of books lining the Morisaki bookshop.
As summer fades to autumn, Satoru and Takako discover they have more in common than they first thought. The Morisaki bookshop has something to teach them both about life, love, and the healing power of books.
Hidden in Jimbocho, Tokyo, is a booklover's paradise. On a quiet corner in an old wooden building lies a shop filled with hundreds of second-hand books.
Twenty-five-year-old Takako has never liked reading, although the Morisaki bookshop has been in her family for three generations. It is the pride and joy of her uncle Satoru, who has devoted his life to the bookshop since his wife Momoko left him five years earlier.
When Takako's boyfriend reveals he's marrying someone else, she reluctantly accepts her eccentric uncle's offer to live rent-free in the tiny room above the shop. Hoping to nurse her broken heart in peace, Takako is surprised to encounter new worlds within the stacks of books lining the Morisaki bookshop.
As summer fades to autumn, Satoru and Takako discover they have more in common than they first thought. The Morisaki bookshop has something to teach them both about life, love, and the healing power of books.
150 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2010
About the author
Satoshi Yagisawa
7 books602 followers八木沢 里志 (Satoshi Yagisawa) is a japanese writer, for the japanese composer see Satoshi Yagisawa
千葉県生まれ。日本大学芸術学部を卒業する。2008年、『森崎書店の日々』で東京都千代田区が主催する第3回ちよだ文学賞を受賞し、デビュー。2010年、同作が菊池亜希子主演で映画化される。神田伯剌西爾によく訪れ、コーヒーを嗜む。趣味はギター。
千葉県生まれ。日本大学芸術学部を卒業する。2008年、『森崎書店の日々』で東京都千代田区が主催する第3回ちよだ文学賞を受賞し、デビュー。2010年、同作が菊池亜希子主演で映画化される。神田伯剌西爾によく訪れ、コーヒーを嗜む。趣味はギター。
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,908 reviews
September 7, 2023
2.5 stars
The premise of this book sounded interesting and, even though I couldn't connect to Takako's character, I enjoyed the first part that takes place in the bookshop. I started losing interest in the second part that centers more around her uncle's wife.
My main complaint is that I found the writing simplistic and the characters rather flat. There was no depth in their relationships and conversations. Not sure if it's the writing style or the translation. It's not a long book and I listened to it on audio, but it still felt like it took me a long time to get through it.
The cover is super cute, though.
The premise of this book sounded interesting and, even though I couldn't connect to Takako's character, I enjoyed the first part that takes place in the bookshop. I started losing interest in the second part that centers more around her uncle's wife.
My main complaint is that I found the writing simplistic and the characters rather flat. There was no depth in their relationships and conversations. Not sure if it's the writing style or the translation. It's not a long book and I listened to it on audio, but it still felt like it took me a long time to get through it.
The cover is super cute, though.
October 11, 2023
It is a touching story about a young woman who discovers the joy of reading.
The book is a simple story about books, relationships, family, and community.
It is a joyful and easy read, especially for a vacation.
I find this book attractive because it is a well-written and engaging story.
Generally speaking, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a charming and enjoyable read.
The book is a simple story about books, relationships, family, and community.
It is a joyful and easy read, especially for a vacation.
I find this book attractive because it is a well-written and engaging story.
Generally speaking, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a charming and enjoyable read.
May 9, 2024
had me at days in a bookshop.
lost me at the other days.
it's no shock that i did like the bookshop part. and it's probably not that much of a shock that it was the entire second half of the book, which occurred after our protagonist was no longer an employee of or even a real visitor to the bookshop, focusing on the reasons why her aunt had left her father many years before, that i didn't care for as much.
and to be fair, how could i have seen that one coming? i would have seemed diagnosable if i predicted that from this title / cover combo.
it's not just that it existed at all, although anything that pulls me away from a bookshop whether literally or fictionally is my enemy. it's more that the whole plotline felt shallow and unwieldy, given too much page time and still somehow not enough exploration.
i never have that problem when i'm reading about reading.
bottom line: books about books - yes. books about inaccurate and weird emotional subplots - maybe not.
2.5
lost me at the other days.
it's no shock that i did like the bookshop part. and it's probably not that much of a shock that it was the entire second half of the book, which occurred after our protagonist was no longer an employee of or even a real visitor to the bookshop, focusing on the reasons why her aunt had left her father many years before, that i didn't care for as much.
and to be fair, how could i have seen that one coming? i would have seemed diagnosable if i predicted that from this title / cover combo.
it's not just that it existed at all, although anything that pulls me away from a bookshop whether literally or fictionally is my enemy. it's more that the whole plotline felt shallow and unwieldy, given too much page time and still somehow not enough exploration.
i never have that problem when i'm reading about reading.
bottom line: books about books - yes. books about inaccurate and weird emotional subplots - maybe not.
2.5
April 19, 2024
I don't know what it is about Japanese translation fiction that always makes me feel peaceful and calm, but Days at the Morisaki Bookshop had that effect. Like Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this short novel with simple prose manages to convey deep truths and impart important life lessons. There's comfort in knowing that bookstores share the same allure across the world. The MC, a young woman named Takako, a sensitive and reserved person, really blossoms by the end of this short book. Many of the literary references were lost on me, but that didn't seem to matter. People connecting over books and coffee is a universal joy.
January 14, 2024
3.5⭐
“Human beings are full of contradictions.”
Twenty-five-year-old Takako takes up residence for a few months in her uncle Satoru’s second-hand bookshop in Jimbicho, Tokyo in the wake of her breakup with her cad of a boyfriend/ coworker and her subsequent resignation. Depressed and unemployed, Takako is glad for the room above the Morisaki Bookshop to hide from the rest of the world even though she doesn’t quite enjoy reading. Surrounded by towering stacks of second-hand books and people who love reading, Takako eventually finds herself opening up to new experiences, making friends in the community, forging a bond with her uncle and finding joy, inspiration and hope in reading.
The narrative is divided into two segments the first of which focuses on Takano’s journey and the second segment, set a year later, revolves around her uncle and his wife Momoko whose sudden return five years after she left him has him seeking the answers to several unanswered questions. Her aunt’s return and their evolving friendship also encourage Takako to reconsider her own priorities.
“No matter where you go, or how many books you read, you still know nothing, you haven’t seen anything. And that’s life. We live our lives trying to find our way.”
Touching upon themes of family, friendship, new beginnings and most importantly the transformative power of books, this is a sweet, simple story that would appeal to book lovers and bibliophiles. I really liked the premise of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa (translated by Eric Ozawa), and loved the descriptions of the Jimbocho Book Town (brought back some fond memories of College Street /”Boi Para” of Kolkata, India) and the literary references. The author also references the Kanda Used Book Festival, the largest annual event held in Kanda's Jimbocho secondhand book district that started in 1960. The narrative is evenly paced and compact but I thought the writing (or maybe the translation) was a tad choppy and lacking in depth. Though I didn’t enjoy the second segment of the narrative as much as the first, overall I didn't dislike this short novel in its totality.
“Human beings are full of contradictions.”
Twenty-five-year-old Takako takes up residence for a few months in her uncle Satoru’s second-hand bookshop in Jimbicho, Tokyo in the wake of her breakup with her cad of a boyfriend/ coworker and her subsequent resignation. Depressed and unemployed, Takako is glad for the room above the Morisaki Bookshop to hide from the rest of the world even though she doesn’t quite enjoy reading. Surrounded by towering stacks of second-hand books and people who love reading, Takako eventually finds herself opening up to new experiences, making friends in the community, forging a bond with her uncle and finding joy, inspiration and hope in reading.
The narrative is divided into two segments the first of which focuses on Takano’s journey and the second segment, set a year later, revolves around her uncle and his wife Momoko whose sudden return five years after she left him has him seeking the answers to several unanswered questions. Her aunt’s return and their evolving friendship also encourage Takako to reconsider her own priorities.
“No matter where you go, or how many books you read, you still know nothing, you haven’t seen anything. And that’s life. We live our lives trying to find our way.”
Touching upon themes of family, friendship, new beginnings and most importantly the transformative power of books, this is a sweet, simple story that would appeal to book lovers and bibliophiles. I really liked the premise of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa (translated by Eric Ozawa), and loved the descriptions of the Jimbocho Book Town (brought back some fond memories of College Street /”Boi Para” of Kolkata, India) and the literary references. The author also references the Kanda Used Book Festival, the largest annual event held in Kanda's Jimbocho secondhand book district that started in 1960. The narrative is evenly paced and compact but I thought the writing (or maybe the translation) was a tad choppy and lacking in depth. Though I didn’t enjoy the second segment of the narrative as much as the first, overall I didn't dislike this short novel in its totality.
June 26, 2022
Gli autori giapponesi hanno un super potere da non sottovalutare: riescono a descrivere le più semplici azioni quotidiane come se fossero parte di un altro piano esistenziale. Persino leggere un libro sembra un passo per raggiungere l’illuminazione. Il che è possibilmente vero se si sceglie quello giusto.
Poetica a parte, questo racconto lungo si è rivelato una piacevole lettura estiva che coccola l’animo. La trama è molto semplice e lineare, senza grandi colpi di scena, ma compensa questa mancanza con uno stile delicato e armonioso.
La protagonista è Takako, una giovane donna che a causa di problemi di cuore cadrà nell’apatia più totale. Dopo aver lasciato il lavoro, suo zio Satoru la inviterà a passare qualche tempo nella libreria di famiglia per capire cosa fare della sua vita. Dopo una breve esitazione dato che la giovane ha sempre mal visto l’eccentricità dell’uomo, deciderà comunque di trasferirsi. Dapprima sorpresa dal caratteristico quartiere libresco e dal disordine regnante in casa dello zio, Takako inizierà pian piano a uscire dal proprio guscio con qualche aiuto imprevisto. Non solo, sebbene non sia una grande lettrice, incomincerà ad apprezzare i libri e il lavoro di Satoru sempre di più, tanto da aiutarlo a gestire il negozio.
Tra clienti abituali, amicizie inaspettate e amori sfuggenti, la placida routine instaurata dai due verrà sconvolta dal ritorno della moglie di Satoru, sparita nel nulla diversi anni prima. La donna porterà con sé molte domande e segreti, segreti che Takako è decisa a scoprire.
Sebbene abbia preferito la prima parte, ovvero quella dedicata ai libri, l’insieme si sposa bene nella tipica placidità orientale. E ora so persino in quale quartiere di Tokyo alloggiare.
Poetica a parte, questo racconto lungo si è rivelato una piacevole lettura estiva che coccola l’animo. La trama è molto semplice e lineare, senza grandi colpi di scena, ma compensa questa mancanza con uno stile delicato e armonioso.
La protagonista è Takako, una giovane donna che a causa di problemi di cuore cadrà nell’apatia più totale. Dopo aver lasciato il lavoro, suo zio Satoru la inviterà a passare qualche tempo nella libreria di famiglia per capire cosa fare della sua vita. Dopo una breve esitazione dato che la giovane ha sempre mal visto l’eccentricità dell’uomo, deciderà comunque di trasferirsi. Dapprima sorpresa dal caratteristico quartiere libresco e dal disordine regnante in casa dello zio, Takako inizierà pian piano a uscire dal proprio guscio con qualche aiuto imprevisto. Non solo, sebbene non sia una grande lettrice, incomincerà ad apprezzare i libri e il lavoro di Satoru sempre di più, tanto da aiutarlo a gestire il negozio.
Tra clienti abituali, amicizie inaspettate e amori sfuggenti, la placida routine instaurata dai due verrà sconvolta dal ritorno della moglie di Satoru, sparita nel nulla diversi anni prima. La donna porterà con sé molte domande e segreti, segreti che Takako è decisa a scoprire.
Sebbene abbia preferito la prima parte, ovvero quella dedicata ai libri, l’insieme si sposa bene nella tipica placidità orientale. E ora so persino in quale quartiere di Tokyo alloggiare.
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December 11, 2023You know that feeling when you read a book and it's an international bestseller they made into a film and you're like "but this slid out of my brain like it was greased and nothing happens except a vague feeling of melancholy and what the hell is there even to film?" That.
Fine. I don't see anything in this that you couldn't get out of the ~4000 other books about a sad person regaining enjoyment of life via a bookshop, but what do I know, I'm not the international bestseller here. Nice line about the sun glaring like a teenage boy.
The cover of the print edition is outstandingly beautiful.
Fine. I don't see anything in this that you couldn't get out of the ~4000 other books about a sad person regaining enjoyment of life via a bookshop, but what do I know, I'm not the international bestseller here. Nice line about the sun glaring like a teenage boy.
The cover of the print edition is outstandingly beautiful.
February 22, 2023
3,5. Takako es una joven de 25 años que acaba de perder de golpe tanto a su pareja y como su trabajo. Esto la sumerge en una profunda apatía, alejándose de todo y de todos. Sin embargo, un día recibe la llamada de su tío Satoru, al cual lleva más de diez años sin ver. Este tiene una propuesta que hacerle, y después de presionarla, consigue que Takako se mude a vivir al pequeño pisito ubicado en la planta superior de la librería de segunda mano Morisaki, en el famoso barrio de las librerías, Jinbocho, el más grande del mundo dedicado a los libros. Satoru heredó la librería hace años y tras muchas idas y venidas por el mundo, descubrió que esta pequeña librería era su lugar en el mundo. ¿Puede encontrar Takako el mismo regocijo en la librería Morisaki?
No puedo remediar amar profundamente este tipo de historias que nos muestra el día a día de sus personajes, centrándose en lo cotidiano para mostrarnos el dilema de sus protagonistas y como estos buscan consuelo en lo esencial. Es un poco lo que pasa con Takako, que pese a que de niña quería y admiraba a su tío, la adolescencia rompió esa imagen que tenia sobre él, sin embargo, acaba encontrando en él y sobre todo en la librería Morisaki el consuelo que necesita, ese algo al que aferrarse para volver a salir a flote. Creo que a cualquier lector le gusta encontrar historias donde los libros se muestren como salvavidas, como elementos de aprendizaje y crecimiento. Es imposible no empatizar con ese sentimiento que todos hemos vivido en algún momento.
Leí este libro con una amiga y desde que lo conocimos con su edición en italiano, sabíamos que era el tipo de lectura que disfrutaríamos. De entrada se nos antojaba que “Mis días en la librería Morisaki” iba a ser este tipo de libro confortable, que a mí me gusta comparar con dar un paseo por un lugar agradable, del que siempre sales reconfortado, y aunque es totalmente ese tipo de libro, ambos tuvimos la misma sensación sobre él: libro bonito y tierno muy disfrutable, pero que nos hubiese gustado que fuera más largo, para que fuera más reposado y poder indagar algo más en algunos momentos y personajes. Se nos hizo demasiado breve y alguna trama se queda poco explorada.
El libro se divide en dos partes muy diferenciadas y claramente la primera parte con Takako y Satoru en la librería ha sido mi favorita, y me ha gustado bastante más que la segunda, que podría ser más profunda que la primera, pero me ha dejado con ganas de ver más. Lo que sí he disfrutado mucho ha sido la relación que se forja entre Takako y Wada, un personaje que aparece en esta segunda parte, aunque también me hubiera gustado verla más mostrada
Eso sí, disfruto mucho de la habilidad de los japoneses no solo para crear historias agradables y reconfortantes, si no para ubicarlas en escenarios que sin haber visto en tu vida, te resultan familiares, hogareños, lugares en los que sientes que has estado, aunque nunca los hayas visitado. Pasa un poco eso con Jinbocho, ese barrio lleno de librerías (que ya pongo como objetivo de vida visitarlo algún día), también con Morisaki, esa librería llena de libros por todas partes o el monte donde sus protagonistas viajan para desconectar de la ciudad. Los autores japoneses consiguen sumergirme como nadie en esos lugares que describen.
Pese a que me he quedado con ganas de que “Mis días en la librería Morisaki” fuese más extenso, lo bueno es que el autor escribió un segundo libro varios años después, que al parecer está centrado en Satoru y Momoko, siendo este último un personaje que me hubiera gustado conocer más y mejor, así que ojalá la editorial se anime a traernos también esta segunda entrega, porque pienso lanzarme de cabeza.
No puedo remediar amar profundamente este tipo de historias que nos muestra el día a día de sus personajes, centrándose en lo cotidiano para mostrarnos el dilema de sus protagonistas y como estos buscan consuelo en lo esencial. Es un poco lo que pasa con Takako, que pese a que de niña quería y admiraba a su tío, la adolescencia rompió esa imagen que tenia sobre él, sin embargo, acaba encontrando en él y sobre todo en la librería Morisaki el consuelo que necesita, ese algo al que aferrarse para volver a salir a flote. Creo que a cualquier lector le gusta encontrar historias donde los libros se muestren como salvavidas, como elementos de aprendizaje y crecimiento. Es imposible no empatizar con ese sentimiento que todos hemos vivido en algún momento.
Leí este libro con una amiga y desde que lo conocimos con su edición en italiano, sabíamos que era el tipo de lectura que disfrutaríamos. De entrada se nos antojaba que “Mis días en la librería Morisaki” iba a ser este tipo de libro confortable, que a mí me gusta comparar con dar un paseo por un lugar agradable, del que siempre sales reconfortado, y aunque es totalmente ese tipo de libro, ambos tuvimos la misma sensación sobre él: libro bonito y tierno muy disfrutable, pero que nos hubiese gustado que fuera más largo, para que fuera más reposado y poder indagar algo más en algunos momentos y personajes. Se nos hizo demasiado breve y alguna trama se queda poco explorada.
El libro se divide en dos partes muy diferenciadas y claramente la primera parte con Takako y Satoru en la librería ha sido mi favorita, y me ha gustado bastante más que la segunda, que podría ser más profunda que la primera, pero me ha dejado con ganas de ver más. Lo que sí he disfrutado mucho ha sido la relación que se forja entre Takako y Wada, un personaje que aparece en esta segunda parte, aunque también me hubiera gustado verla más mostrada
Eso sí, disfruto mucho de la habilidad de los japoneses no solo para crear historias agradables y reconfortantes, si no para ubicarlas en escenarios que sin haber visto en tu vida, te resultan familiares, hogareños, lugares en los que sientes que has estado, aunque nunca los hayas visitado. Pasa un poco eso con Jinbocho, ese barrio lleno de librerías (que ya pongo como objetivo de vida visitarlo algún día), también con Morisaki, esa librería llena de libros por todas partes o el monte donde sus protagonistas viajan para desconectar de la ciudad. Los autores japoneses consiguen sumergirme como nadie en esos lugares que describen.
Pese a que me he quedado con ganas de que “Mis días en la librería Morisaki” fuese más extenso, lo bueno es que el autor escribió un segundo libro varios años después, que al parecer está centrado en Satoru y Momoko, siendo este último un personaje que me hubiera gustado conocer más y mejor, así que ojalá la editorial se anime a traernos también esta segunda entrega, porque pienso lanzarme de cabeza.
April 16, 2023
Satoshi Yagisawa’s debut novel, first published in 2010, won the Chiyoda Literature Prize and was later turned into a film. It’ s a gentle, slice-of-life narrative set in Jimbōchō, the district of Tokyo famous for its array of second-hand bookshops. After a disastrous end to a relationship Takako is drifting and melancholy, she leaves her job and reluctantly moves into a small room over her uncle’s bookshop. Yagisawa’s novel details Takako’s journey as she finds solace in reading and the small pleasures offered by the local community: from eccentric customers to charming coffee shops. The story then skips ahead over a period of years, moving from Takako to her uncle Satoru as he’s reunited with his long-lost wife Momoko, after her mysterious disappearance. This is oddly fragmented, sometimes a little uneven, and the translation could be smoother but I enjoyed its quirky feel and the emphasis on the transformative power of reading. Translated by Eric Ozawa.
Thanks to Edelweiss and publisher HarperCollins for an ARC
Rating: 3 to 3.5
Thanks to Edelweiss and publisher HarperCollins for an ARC
Rating: 3 to 3.5
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April 23, 2023Sutil como la ceremonia del té, hermosa como los cerezos en flor y melancólica como el cine de autor japonés, así es la novela corta Mis días en la librería Morisaki de Satoshi Yagisawa que ha conquistado el corazón de lectores bibliófilos a lo largo y ancho de todo el mundo y que, con traducción de Estefanía Asins, acaba de ser editada en España por Plata Editores, un nuevo sello que promete darnos muchas alegrías lectoras.
Y es que solo se me ocurre un escenario más sugerente para un amante de los libros que una librería: un barrio lleno de ellas. Allí, a Jinbōchō, es donde da a parar Takako después de que le rompan el corazón y necesite un lugar donde replantearse su futuro. Su tío regenta una antigua librería familiar de segunda mano especializada en literatura japonesa y le ofrece el ático del local para que allí la joven vuelva a conectar consigo misma.
Al principio se siente perdida y fuera de lugar en un ambiente tan bucólico e intelectual… Pero el olor del polvo de los antiguos volúmenes apilados en las estanterías, el ambiente del barrio bohemio, las peculiaridades de cada uno de los clientes habituales… le hacen conectar con más cosas además de consigo misma: con el gran desconocido que resultó ser su tío, con los chicos que regentan el café de la esquina… y hasta con un apuesto y misterioso lector que se pasa las horas leyendo siempre en la misma mesa.
Mis días en la librería Morisaki es una obra cálida que hará disfrutar al público lector al que le apasionan las historias serenas, introspectivas, que se cocinan a fuego lento. Además de una adquisición perfecta para conmemorar el Marzo asiático, esta obra es un bucólico paréntesis del torbellino urbano que nos rodea.
Y es que… ¿quién no ha sido Tatako en algún momento de su vida? ¿Quién no ha necesitado frenar en seco para tomar impulso? ¿Quién no se ha dado cuenta de que ha construido una vida de espaldas a sus raíces? ¿Quién no sueña con una época dedicada solamente a escucharse a sí mismo, a emprender un nuevo rumbo, a recargar las pilas?
Mis días en la librería Morisaki hará las delicias del público japonófilo. Entre sus páginas se nos narra el día a día de un rincón oculto de esa inabarcable urbe, pero también se nos desmenuzan distintas formas de vivir y sentir en el Tokio de hoy en día. Cada uno de los curiosos personajes con los que confraterniza la tímida Tatako representa una forma de ser distinta que encapsula al propio Japón: su melancólico tío, su extravagante tía, los chismosos chicos del café, el hierático cliente habitual… constituyen un mosaico que nos habla de una sociedad compleja, contradictoria, en constante evolución.
Esta breve y sutil novelita es una lectura perfecta para recuperar la fe en el poder sanador de los libros, para hacer despertar el amor por las pequeñas cosas que a menudo nos pasan desapercibidas en nuestro ajetreado día a día.
Y es que solo se me ocurre un escenario más sugerente para un amante de los libros que una librería: un barrio lleno de ellas. Allí, a Jinbōchō, es donde da a parar Takako después de que le rompan el corazón y necesite un lugar donde replantearse su futuro. Su tío regenta una antigua librería familiar de segunda mano especializada en literatura japonesa y le ofrece el ático del local para que allí la joven vuelva a conectar consigo misma.
Al principio se siente perdida y fuera de lugar en un ambiente tan bucólico e intelectual… Pero el olor del polvo de los antiguos volúmenes apilados en las estanterías, el ambiente del barrio bohemio, las peculiaridades de cada uno de los clientes habituales… le hacen conectar con más cosas además de consigo misma: con el gran desconocido que resultó ser su tío, con los chicos que regentan el café de la esquina… y hasta con un apuesto y misterioso lector que se pasa las horas leyendo siempre en la misma mesa.
Mis días en la librería Morisaki es una obra cálida que hará disfrutar al público lector al que le apasionan las historias serenas, introspectivas, que se cocinan a fuego lento. Además de una adquisición perfecta para conmemorar el Marzo asiático, esta obra es un bucólico paréntesis del torbellino urbano que nos rodea.
Y es que… ¿quién no ha sido Tatako en algún momento de su vida? ¿Quién no ha necesitado frenar en seco para tomar impulso? ¿Quién no se ha dado cuenta de que ha construido una vida de espaldas a sus raíces? ¿Quién no sueña con una época dedicada solamente a escucharse a sí mismo, a emprender un nuevo rumbo, a recargar las pilas?
Mis días en la librería Morisaki hará las delicias del público japonófilo. Entre sus páginas se nos narra el día a día de un rincón oculto de esa inabarcable urbe, pero también se nos desmenuzan distintas formas de vivir y sentir en el Tokio de hoy en día. Cada uno de los curiosos personajes con los que confraterniza la tímida Tatako representa una forma de ser distinta que encapsula al propio Japón: su melancólico tío, su extravagante tía, los chismosos chicos del café, el hierático cliente habitual… constituyen un mosaico que nos habla de una sociedad compleja, contradictoria, en constante evolución.
Esta breve y sutil novelita es una lectura perfecta para recuperar la fe en el poder sanador de los libros, para hacer despertar el amor por las pequeñas cosas que a menudo nos pasan desapercibidas en nuestro ajetreado día a día.
September 20, 2023
This book is without a doubt, a truly heartwarming read. It envelops you in its warmth like a cherished, old sweater, making it feel like a literary hug. At its core, this book is a celebration of the transformative power of literature, how books can quietly but profoundly alter the course of our lives. It's a wholesome, sweet, and comforting story that will undoubtedly leave a lasting imprint on your heart.
From that moment on, I read relentlessly, one book after another. It was as if a love of reading had been sleeping somewhere deep inside me all this time, and then it suddenly sprang to life.
Little by little, I felt something wash over me, a feeling of peace that words can't express. If I had to explain it, I'd say it could only have come from the writer's fervent love for life.
The story revolves around a small, second-hand bookshop, Morisaki Bookshop, and the wonderful cast of characters who call it home. The narrative centers on Takako, whose life takes a transformative turn following a heartbreak when she retreats to her family's bookstore, managed by her uncle Saturo. As the characters navigate the ups and downs of life, their journeys are intertwined with the books they read and recommend, resulting in a brilliant tapestry of self-discovery.
At some point in the past, someone reading this book had felt moved to take a pen and draw a line under these words. It made me happy to think that because I had been moved by that same passage too, I was now connected to that stranger.
Another time, I happened to find a pressed flower someone had left as a bookmark. As I inhaled the scent of the long-ago-faded flower, I wondered about the person who had put it there. Who in the world was she? When did she live? What was she feeling?
It's only in secondhand books that you can savor encounters like this, connections that transcend time. And that's how I learned to love the secondhand bookstore that handled these books, our Morisaki Bookshop. I realized how precious a chance I'd been given, to be a part of that little place, where you can feel the quiet flow of time.
The prose is simple yet eloquent, like a soothing melody that lingers in your mind long after you've turned the last page.
From that moment on, I read relentlessly, one book after another. It was as if a love of reading had been sleeping somewhere deep inside me all this time, and then it suddenly sprang to life.
Little by little, I felt something wash over me, a feeling of peace that words can't express. If I had to explain it, I'd say it could only have come from the writer's fervent love for life.
The story revolves around a small, second-hand bookshop, Morisaki Bookshop, and the wonderful cast of characters who call it home. The narrative centers on Takako, whose life takes a transformative turn following a heartbreak when she retreats to her family's bookstore, managed by her uncle Saturo. As the characters navigate the ups and downs of life, their journeys are intertwined with the books they read and recommend, resulting in a brilliant tapestry of self-discovery.
At some point in the past, someone reading this book had felt moved to take a pen and draw a line under these words. It made me happy to think that because I had been moved by that same passage too, I was now connected to that stranger.
Another time, I happened to find a pressed flower someone had left as a bookmark. As I inhaled the scent of the long-ago-faded flower, I wondered about the person who had put it there. Who in the world was she? When did she live? What was she feeling?
It's only in secondhand books that you can savor encounters like this, connections that transcend time. And that's how I learned to love the secondhand bookstore that handled these books, our Morisaki Bookshop. I realized how precious a chance I'd been given, to be a part of that little place, where you can feel the quiet flow of time.
The prose is simple yet eloquent, like a soothing melody that lingers in your mind long after you've turned the last page.
February 1, 2023
¡AY, SANTA CACHUCHA!, ¿por qué me tientas de esta manera🥴?
Sé que me va la marcha literaria, que es entrar en una librería y empezar a aplaudir con las orejas, PERO ESTO YA ES DEMASIADO! En serio, que me veo en Jimbocho, paseando entre librerías y comprando como una posesa novelas japonesas! Y, entiéndeme, más bien poco de japo...🤭
Y sí, sé que me vas a decir: "A ver, tampoco será pa tanto, no🤪?".
Y yo, que me va lo de ser la amiga con cierto grado de maldad, sonrío en plan maléfica, antes de preguntarte: "¿Sabes dónde está ambientada esta maravillosa historia, verdad?😈".
Exacto! En el barrio de Jimbocho, considerada como la ciudad de los libros más grande del mundo🤩. Es más, su nombre ya lo dice todo: "Podemos seguir así todo el día"! Así que, imagínate un libro ambientado en este barrio, que habla de libros y que además pasa en una librería ! Vamos, si esto ya no es tentar al publico, que venga santa Cachucha y nos lo explique...🤭
Ahora, si quieres saber qué vas a encontrar en su interior...
⛩️Una protagonista que busca su lugar en el mundo.
⛩️Un Morisaki que sin saber sabe!
⛩️Un chico muy tímido y una mujer a la que le gusta la aventura.
⛩️Una cafetería, una librería y muchos libros!
Sé que me va la marcha literaria, que es entrar en una librería y empezar a aplaudir con las orejas, PERO ESTO YA ES DEMASIADO! En serio, que me veo en Jimbocho, paseando entre librerías y comprando como una posesa novelas japonesas! Y, entiéndeme, más bien poco de japo...🤭
Y sí, sé que me vas a decir: "A ver, tampoco será pa tanto, no🤪?".
Y yo, que me va lo de ser la amiga con cierto grado de maldad, sonrío en plan maléfica, antes de preguntarte: "¿Sabes dónde está ambientada esta maravillosa historia, verdad?😈".
Exacto! En el barrio de Jimbocho, considerada como la ciudad de los libros más grande del mundo🤩. Es más, su nombre ya lo dice todo: "Podemos seguir así todo el día"! Así que, imagínate un libro ambientado en este barrio, que habla de libros y que además pasa en una librería ! Vamos, si esto ya no es tentar al publico, que venga santa Cachucha y nos lo explique...🤭
Ahora, si quieres saber qué vas a encontrar en su interior...
⛩️Una protagonista que busca su lugar en el mundo.
⛩️Un Morisaki que sin saber sabe!
⛩️Un chico muy tímido y una mujer a la que le gusta la aventura.
⛩️Una cafetería, una librería y muchos libros!
January 2, 2024
I usually avoid books set in bookstores and libraries because they tend to be too sentimental for my tastes (How Can I Help You being a delicious exception).
This book, unfortunately, is not an exception. It's all feelings and even worse, blekky romantic feelings as well. All heterosexual too, which makes it even less of an interest to me, if possible.
I'm the Tin Man before Dorothy, no heart. This kind of stuff annoys me.
Two positives: it was short, and there's an adorable cat on the cover - perhaps I'd have liked the book more if the cat had been part of it.
This book, unfortunately, is not an exception. It's all feelings and even worse, blekky romantic feelings as well. All heterosexual too, which makes it even less of an interest to me, if possible.
I'm the Tin Man before Dorothy, no heart. This kind of stuff annoys me.
Two positives: it was short, and there's an adorable cat on the cover - perhaps I'd have liked the book more if the cat had been part of it.
March 1, 2024
An ode to rediscovering the love for reading and the transformative power of entering the realm of books. Heartwarming, well done portrait of the importance of candor and speaking out, especially when its difficult.
If I just told them what they wanted to hear that wouldn’t fix anything.
A sweet trip to secondhand bookstores and the mountains, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop feels like a nice excursion from corporate life. Our main character, a 25 year old office worker, has her life fall apart during a fancy dinner, and turns into a sleep monster. With the help of an uncle and literature she finds a place in the world again.
Maybe it takes a long time to figure out what you are truly searching for. Maybe you spend your whole life just to figure out a small part of it.
The district full of specialised bookstores sounds lovely, as sound of a back-up plan and the best taking a vacation of one’s life one can find!
But our main character can’t escape hard things, she needs to push through them to truly find herself and shed the societal pressure of always being a good girl:
This is might be the first time in my life I raised my voice and told another person how I felt - no wonder mental health is such a theme in Japanese literature.
Peoples impressions aren’t very reliable are they? is something that comes back a lot in the second part, when the main character can return the favor to her uncle. Very much a slice of life book, wholesome and restorative for anyone who feels low in their trust in the world and people.
If I just told them what they wanted to hear that wouldn’t fix anything.
A sweet trip to secondhand bookstores and the mountains, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop feels like a nice excursion from corporate life. Our main character, a 25 year old office worker, has her life fall apart during a fancy dinner, and turns into a sleep monster. With the help of an uncle and literature she finds a place in the world again.
Maybe it takes a long time to figure out what you are truly searching for. Maybe you spend your whole life just to figure out a small part of it.
The district full of specialised bookstores sounds lovely, as sound of a back-up plan and the best taking a vacation of one’s life one can find!
But our main character can’t escape hard things, she needs to push through them to truly find herself and shed the societal pressure of always being a good girl:
This is might be the first time in my life I raised my voice and told another person how I felt - no wonder mental health is such a theme in Japanese literature.
Peoples impressions aren’t very reliable are they? is something that comes back a lot in the second part, when the main character can return the favor to her uncle. Very much a slice of life book, wholesome and restorative for anyone who feels low in their trust in the world and people.
March 13, 2023
Una pequeña y antigua librería en Japón, situada en el barrio más literario del mundo. Un lugar de paz, donde el tiempo parece detenerse y suceden conversaciones cultas e interesantes sobre literatura japonesa entre personajes inolvidables. ¿Qué podría ir mal ante semejante caramelito para los amantes de la literatura sobre librerías?
Eso es lo que la premisa de este título nos avanza en su contraportada, otra cosa es lo que los lectores encontraremos. No os engañaré, esta lectura ha sido la peor que he tenido en los últimos meses. Algo que obviamente no esperaba, ya que a pesar de saber que no iba a ser un libro inolvidable tenía el convencimiento de que encontraría una historia “feel good”, algo agradable y ligero para disfrutar.
Nada más lejos de la realidad: entre sus páginas he hallado una trama lineal, sumamente básica y carente de descripción alguna, dotada de personajes planos, sin carácter definido y sumamente incoherentes (mención especial a la protagonista que no puede ser más repelente). La trama, aparte de previsible, en muchas ocasiones pierde el sentido, fuerza relaciones y sentimientos que no traspasan las páginas y no convencen en absoluto al lector.
Eso no es todo: aquí no hay literatura, ni cultura japonesa, ni librerías, ni largas charlas emocionantes, ni puesta en situación… La novela bien podría estar ambientada en una heladería de un centro comercial en Estados Unidos y no notaríamos la diferencia. La narración, los diálogos y cómo se desarrollan los hechos, denota que estamos ante un relato banal, por su sencillez y por la escasa profundidad general.
En definitiva, me he llevado una gran decepción con esta obra contando que lo mejor que he encontrado es la ilustración de la portada. Y encima, no podía faltar el drama metido con calzador que encontraremos al final y el nacimiento de un amor que no veíamos venir (nótese la ironía). Un texto superfluo que yo no he podido disfrutar en ningún momento, al contrario, ha sido un suplicio leerlo.
Eso es lo que la premisa de este título nos avanza en su contraportada, otra cosa es lo que los lectores encontraremos. No os engañaré, esta lectura ha sido la peor que he tenido en los últimos meses. Algo que obviamente no esperaba, ya que a pesar de saber que no iba a ser un libro inolvidable tenía el convencimiento de que encontraría una historia “feel good”, algo agradable y ligero para disfrutar.
Nada más lejos de la realidad: entre sus páginas he hallado una trama lineal, sumamente básica y carente de descripción alguna, dotada de personajes planos, sin carácter definido y sumamente incoherentes (mención especial a la protagonista que no puede ser más repelente). La trama, aparte de previsible, en muchas ocasiones pierde el sentido, fuerza relaciones y sentimientos que no traspasan las páginas y no convencen en absoluto al lector.
Eso no es todo: aquí no hay literatura, ni cultura japonesa, ni librerías, ni largas charlas emocionantes, ni puesta en situación… La novela bien podría estar ambientada en una heladería de un centro comercial en Estados Unidos y no notaríamos la diferencia. La narración, los diálogos y cómo se desarrollan los hechos, denota que estamos ante un relato banal, por su sencillez y por la escasa profundidad general.
En definitiva, me he llevado una gran decepción con esta obra contando que lo mejor que he encontrado es la ilustración de la portada. Y encima, no podía faltar el drama metido con calzador que encontraremos al final y el nacimiento de un amor que no veíamos venir (nótese la ironía). Un texto superfluo que yo no he podido disfrutar en ningún momento, al contrario, ha sido un suplicio leerlo.
December 29, 2020
Đọc thư giãn sau khi thi cuối kỳ, sách nhẹ nhàng thoải mái kiểu văn học Nhật.
Đọc xong mình nghiệm lại thấy nhiều người Nhật mình gặp đúng là thường có những ẩn tình nằm bên dưới cái vẻ ngoài tưởng chừng nhìn an nhiên trầm mặc và "đúng chuẩn" của họ. Có thể gọi kiểu của người Nhật là sóng ngầm dưới mặt hồ tĩnh lặng. Nên văn học Nhật thường khai thác các chủ đề diễn biến tâm lý nội tâm, kiểu như ai đó nói một điều gì đó lạ kỳ hoặc không hợp với chuẩn mực thông thường thì là biểu hiện của sự can đảm hoặc là kết quả của cả một quá trình chuyển biến tâm tư tình cảm, bởi họ thường ít biểu lộ tâm sự thật của chính mình. Nghe có vẻ hơi generalization thái quá nhưng dù sao cũng là cảm nhận chủ quan của mình. Nên đặc trưng của văn chương Nhật Bản là miêu tả những cảm tình lảng bảng mơ hồ, những cảm xúc chưa thể gọi thành tên, những không gian bên trong và bên ngoài con người đẹp một cách tinh tế, lạ lùng, khó nắm bắt. Quyển này thì chưa đến đúng độ, nhưng cũng phảng phất màu sắc như thế.
Bản thân mình thấy người Việt thì kiểu dễ dàng trong việc thể hiện bản thân hơn. Văn học Việt Nam dù giàu cảm xúc nhưng cũng nhiều lời nói và hành động hơn. Nhưng có lẽ cần tìm đọc nhiều hơn các tác phẩm văn học Việt Nam thời trước.
Đọc xong mình nghiệm lại thấy nhiều người Nhật mình gặp đúng là thường có những ẩn tình nằm bên dưới cái vẻ ngoài tưởng chừng nhìn an nhiên trầm mặc và "đúng chuẩn" của họ. Có thể gọi kiểu của người Nhật là sóng ngầm dưới mặt hồ tĩnh lặng. Nên văn học Nhật thường khai thác các chủ đề diễn biến tâm lý nội tâm, kiểu như ai đó nói một điều gì đó lạ kỳ hoặc không hợp với chuẩn mực thông thường thì là biểu hiện của sự can đảm hoặc là kết quả của cả một quá trình chuyển biến tâm tư tình cảm, bởi họ thường ít biểu lộ tâm sự thật của chính mình. Nghe có vẻ hơi generalization thái quá nhưng dù sao cũng là cảm nhận chủ quan của mình. Nên đặc trưng của văn chương Nhật Bản là miêu tả những cảm tình lảng bảng mơ hồ, những cảm xúc chưa thể gọi thành tên, những không gian bên trong và bên ngoài con người đẹp một cách tinh tế, lạ lùng, khó nắm bắt. Quyển này thì chưa đến đúng độ, nhưng cũng phảng phất màu sắc như thế.
Bản thân mình thấy người Việt thì kiểu dễ dàng trong việc thể hiện bản thân hơn. Văn học Việt Nam dù giàu cảm xúc nhưng cũng nhiều lời nói và hành động hơn. Nhưng có lẽ cần tìm đọc nhiều hơn các tác phẩm văn học Việt Nam thời trước.
May 10, 2023
Book lovers are delighted when the plot of the story includes books or bookstores or an author’s life. This book was indeed that and much more. Sensitive topics like dealing with heartbreak, boredom, loneliness were handled so well and again it was not that it was being preachy. I liked the characters and the description of Jimbocho area where second hand books were sold in so many bookshops was reader’s delight. The support that Takako got from her uncle and her journey of healing by diving into books and through her aunt’s lifestyle was heart warming. I really enjoyed reading this translated work and glad that I picked up.
November 6, 2023
"মরিসাকি বইঘরের দিনগুলি" অবসর বিনোদন হিসেবে বেশ উপযুক্ত। চরিত্রগুলোর প্রেম, কথোপকথন, অবসর, ব্যর্থতাবোধ থেকে মুক্তি - সবখানেই বই পড়ার তাৎপর্যপূর্ণ অবদান আছে অর্থাৎ "বই" নিজেও কাহিনির একটা চরিত্র। এ ব্যাপারটা বেশ ভালো লেগেছে।
April 13, 2019
It gently eased my soul.
March 29, 2024
books about books will always be my favorite!
August 15, 2023
Basically a story of finding yourself amid rows and rows of secondhand books. Story of love, loss and reconciliation.
February 21, 2023
‘Mis días en la librería Morisaki’ es uno de esos libros sencillos agradables de leer. No sé si marcará la vida de alguien, pero te acompaña durante un rato, como un paseo bonito en un día despejado.
Tatako, una joven de 25 años, sufre un desengaño amoroso y siente la necesidad de parar todo. Con esa intensidad del primer amor que se acaba y parece que el mundo con él. Así, acabará viviendo en la planta de arriba / almacén de la librería de viejo (¡y especializada en literatura moderna japonesa!) de su tío, con quien retomará relación, al tiempo que descubrirá el placer de la lectura.
No ahondaré más en la trama porque como decía al inicio, es simple y relativamente predecible. Pero de alguna forma, da igual. Me da la sensación que lo que el libro busca es crear un ambiente acogedor y agradable para el lector, hacerle sonreír y si ha tenido un mal día, ayudarle a despejarse. Y sin ser mi tipo de libro predilecto, diré que creo que da lo que promete.
Lo que más me ha gustado es la descripción de la librería, el ambiente, el olor, incluso, los clientes. Lo que menos, los personajes porque son absolutamente planos. Están meramente esbozados para que cada uno tenga una característica principal en la que basen todos sus comportamientos y eso, a veces, crea escenas que chirrían. Pero insisto, es que no es una novela a la que podamos pedirle profundidad o grandes giros porque no los busca, es otra cosa.
Una apreciación personal es que no encontraréis aquí las características principales de la literatura japonesa. No lo digo como algo malo necesariamente, pero para que no haya sorpresas.
Un libro que sin duda encantará a quienes le gusten las novelas que te dejan el corazón calentito. Una historia para no sufrir, para no pensar y con el que yo he pasado un buen rato, volviendo mentalmente a Jimbocho, el barrio de las librerías de Tokio, uno de mis lugares favoritos del mundo.
Tatako, una joven de 25 años, sufre un desengaño amoroso y siente la necesidad de parar todo. Con esa intensidad del primer amor que se acaba y parece que el mundo con él. Así, acabará viviendo en la planta de arriba / almacén de la librería de viejo (¡y especializada en literatura moderna japonesa!) de su tío, con quien retomará relación, al tiempo que descubrirá el placer de la lectura.
No ahondaré más en la trama porque como decía al inicio, es simple y relativamente predecible. Pero de alguna forma, da igual. Me da la sensación que lo que el libro busca es crear un ambiente acogedor y agradable para el lector, hacerle sonreír y si ha tenido un mal día, ayudarle a despejarse. Y sin ser mi tipo de libro predilecto, diré que creo que da lo que promete.
Lo que más me ha gustado es la descripción de la librería, el ambiente, el olor, incluso, los clientes. Lo que menos, los personajes porque son absolutamente planos. Están meramente esbozados para que cada uno tenga una característica principal en la que basen todos sus comportamientos y eso, a veces, crea escenas que chirrían. Pero insisto, es que no es una novela a la que podamos pedirle profundidad o grandes giros porque no los busca, es otra cosa.
Una apreciación personal es que no encontraréis aquí las características principales de la literatura japonesa. No lo digo como algo malo necesariamente, pero para que no haya sorpresas.
Un libro que sin duda encantará a quienes le gusten las novelas que te dejan el corazón calentito. Una historia para no sufrir, para no pensar y con el que yo he pasado un buen rato, volviendo mentalmente a Jimbocho, el barrio de las librerías de Tokio, uno de mis lugares favoritos del mundo.
January 27, 2024
این کتاب برای من خیلی عزیز شد...در واقع در زمانی خوندمش که باید!
مهاجرت کجاش بیشتر از همه تو ذهنم ترسناکه؟اونجایی که از حرفای خنده دار واداب واصول اخلاقی وحتی مسائل اون جامعه بی اطلاعم وبی تجربه!دیگه فک کنم تو جامعه ی اونا بامزه نیستم!
یه قسمتایی از کتاب اینو بهم یاداوری میکرد وقتایی که من نمیفهمیدم لحن جملات چیه ومنظور اصلی یه جورایی برام شفاف نبود!انگار مال خود جامعه ی ژاپن واخلاق ژاپنی ها بود!
جلد کتاب خیلی قشنگه...هی میبستمش ونگاش میکردم!
داستانش خیلی قشنگه وبعد مدتها از کتابی که راجع کتابها بود، خوشم اومد!
اونجایی که دایی به خواهرزاده گفت اگه حرف نزنی تاابد تو دلت میمونه وروحتو زندانی میکنه،حرف همیشگی منو زد!
مهاجرت کجاش بیشتر از همه تو ذهنم ترسناکه؟اونجایی که از حرفای خنده دار واداب واصول اخلاقی وحتی مسائل اون جامعه بی اطلاعم وبی تجربه!دیگه فک کنم تو جامعه ی اونا بامزه نیستم!
یه قسمتایی از کتاب اینو بهم یاداوری میکرد وقتایی که من نمیفهمیدم لحن جملات چیه ومنظور اصلی یه جورایی برام شفاف نبود!انگار مال خود جامعه ی ژاپن واخلاق ژاپنی ها بود!
جلد کتاب خیلی قشنگه...هی میبستمش ونگاش میکردم!
داستانش خیلی قشنگه وبعد مدتها از کتابی که راجع کتابها بود، خوشم اومد!
اونجایی که دایی به خواهرزاده گفت اگه حرف نزنی تاابد تو دلت میمونه وروحتو زندانی میکنه،حرف همیشگی منو زد!
October 16, 2023
“I don’t know. I think maybe I’ve been wasting my time, just doing nothing.”
“I don’t think so. It’s important to stand still sometimes. Think of it as a little rest in the long journey of your life. This is your harbor. And your boat is just dropping anchor here for a little while. And after you’re well rested, you can set sail again.”
How does someone write like this? The words and sentences just completely fill my soul.
“I don’t think so. It’s important to stand still sometimes. Think of it as a little rest in the long journey of your life. This is your harbor. And your boat is just dropping anchor here for a little while. And after you’re well rested, you can set sail again.”
How does someone write like this? The words and sentences just completely fill my soul.
September 6, 2023
A really delightful read.
February 16, 2023
3.5*
O livro lê-se bem, mas faltou ali qualquer coisa - profundidade, creio. Sendo um livro tão pequeno, é natural que a história não seja incrivelmente bem explorada, mas haveria espaço para o fazer, porque as temáticas são interessantes.
O livro lê-se bem, mas faltou ali qualquer coisa - profundidade, creio. Sendo um livro tão pequeno, é natural que a história não seja incrivelmente bem explorada, mas haveria espaço para o fazer, porque as temáticas são interessantes.
January 26, 2024
Enjoyable and gentle book that centers around Satoru the owner of the Morisaki Bookshop, along with his niece, Takako, and Satoru's absent wife, Momoko. As Takato suffers from a broken relationshp her uncle Satoru offers her a chance to come live and work at the bookshop. After a period of continued despair she finally comes to love the bookshop and a few of the people who enter. Not a book that goes into detail about the books at the used bookshop, but rather about relationships, including Momoko's return after a 5 year absence. I enjoyed the book but felt it needed a bit more depth to the characters and more characters on the whole. I did enjoy it and there is only so much one can fit into 150 pages. I am looking forward to the sequel. As I am not familiar with a lot of Japanese novels I give this a benefit of the doubt, 4****
April 4, 2023
Takako is 25 years old and just got dumped. When she finds out her boyfriend has been seeing someone else at their work and is engaged to get married to her next year, her life goes into a tailspin. She's depressed, lonely and after quitting her job, a bit aimless. One day her Uncle Satoru calls her. He runs the family used bookstore in Jimbōchō, the book shop district in Tokyo. He could use her help, and with nothing else going on, she finally caves and goes to see what she can make of her life there.
This is a super sweet, simple story about rediscovering oneself, falling in love with books, and the many ways we can connect with other people when we take a second to get to know them on a bit of a deeper level. Takako comes into her new job with many presumptions that get subverted, and along with loyal customers to the bookstore and people she meets at a local coffee shop, she begins to see things a little differently.
There's only a small plot in this slim novel, and ultimately it's more about the vibes and atmosphere of the bookshop which is rendered wonderfully; that's the part I loved most about this book—the sights and smells of the neighborhood came to life off the page. Takako is a likeable main character to follow and goes on her own journey across the book's two parts, realizing in life there's often more than meets the eye. I did want a bit more depth to the story, but for what it was this was a highly enjoyable comforting read that I'd recommend to book lovers everywhere.
[Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader's copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
This is a super sweet, simple story about rediscovering oneself, falling in love with books, and the many ways we can connect with other people when we take a second to get to know them on a bit of a deeper level. Takako comes into her new job with many presumptions that get subverted, and along with loyal customers to the bookstore and people she meets at a local coffee shop, she begins to see things a little differently.
There's only a small plot in this slim novel, and ultimately it's more about the vibes and atmosphere of the bookshop which is rendered wonderfully; that's the part I loved most about this book—the sights and smells of the neighborhood came to life off the page. Takako is a likeable main character to follow and goes on her own journey across the book's two parts, realizing in life there's often more than meets the eye. I did want a bit more depth to the story, but for what it was this was a highly enjoyable comforting read that I'd recommend to book lovers everywhere.
[Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader's copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
January 8, 2024
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a short (thankfully) corny (unbearably so) novel about a heartbroken 25-year-old woman who is able to heal and find new meaning in life by working at her uncle's second-hand bookshop. Takako, our central character, is no longer able to keep working at her company after her supposed boyfriend informs her, very casually, that he is actually going to marry someone else. She's thrown off kilter and soon finds it impossible to keep on working. More depressed than ever, Takako's days of listlessness are interrupted by a call from her eccentric uncle, whom she hadn't kept in contact with. He offers her a place to stay, rent-free, in exchange for helping out at his second-hand bookshop. She reluctantly agrees, but to begin with, has no interest in the place or its contents. Eventually, she learns to love literature and the bookshop, breaking free of her post-breakup apathy. Turns out her uncle is a nice guy and so is that cantankerous regular customer!
Good times ensue and Takako not only gets better but learns valuable life lessons along the way. And I guess this could have just been a Hallmark-y, inoffensive, vanilla book about learning to love books and unexpected friendships and not judging people based on first impressions but we get a whole storyline involving Takako's aunt that veered straight into the mawkish. Worst, her story is moralistic, and punitive even, as . I'm afraid that the way this issue is handled, as well as the platitudes that come to the surface during the conversations between the aunt & Takako, came across as clichéd, icky even. Needless to say, I was unsurprised to see that this book had been written by a man.
As with any other review of mine, I feel the need to remind whoever is reading this that what they have just read is entirely subjective and that my not liking a book should not stop you from giving it a try.
Good times ensue and Takako not only gets better but learns valuable life lessons along the way. And I guess this could have just been a Hallmark-y, inoffensive, vanilla book about learning to love books and unexpected friendships and not judging people based on first impressions but we get a whole storyline involving Takako's aunt that veered straight into the mawkish. Worst, her story is moralistic, and punitive even, as . I'm afraid that the way this issue is handled, as well as the platitudes that come to the surface during the conversations between the aunt & Takako, came across as clichéd, icky even. Needless to say, I was unsurprised to see that this book had been written by a man.
As with any other review of mine, I feel the need to remind whoever is reading this that what they have just read is entirely subjective and that my not liking a book should not stop you from giving it a try.
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